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"It was a brave call to pluck Buttler from IPL cricket but that's been a decision that has really driven England's improvement, I think."

Last Updated: 27/11/18 3:06pm

3:15

Mike Atherton believes Joe Root is starting to put his stamp on the England team

Mike Atherton believes Joe Root is starting to put his stamp on the England team

Jos Buttler's recall to England's Test team has been instrumental in their turnaround in fortunes since last winter's defeats in Australia and New Zealand, says Michael Atherton.

Buttler was picked by national selector Ed Smith for the series against Pakistan last May and then appointed vice-captain after spending almost 18 months in the Test wilderness following England's tour to India in 2016.

"If you're looking at the selectors then Ed Smith has had a good year and I think the recall of Buttler was actually the key decision of the year," said Sky Cricket expert Atherton.

Jos Buttler's recall was the decision of England's year, says Athers

"A lot of people would have picked Buttler but he wasn't being picked and he didn't have any red-ball or first-class cricket behind him.

"It was a brave call to pluck him from T20 and IPL cricket but that's been a decision that has really driven England's improvement, I think."

England's 4-0 thrashing in the Ashes was followed by a 1-0 reverse in New Zealand in the spring, with Joe Root's side rolled for 58 during the day-night Test in Auckland - 33 of those runs scored by No 9 batsman Craig Overton.

Atherton thinks that was the moment England were forced to rethink their policy away from home, with a spin-based bowling attack of Moeen Ali, Jack Leach and Adil Rashid subsequently snaring 48 wickets between them in the Sri Lanka series as Root's men earned their first whitewash in Asia.

Jack Leach, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid helped England to a series sweep in Sri Lanka

"England went from Australia to New Zealand and they got hammered," added Atherton.

"That was the point, I think, when Root thought, 'We've got to do something a little different here, we can't keep hitting teams abroad with four right-arm seam bowlers'.

"They brought in Mark Wood for the second Test in Christchurch and Leach also got his first Test match - there was just a sense that Root had started to adapt to foreign conditions.

"They've got it spot on in Sri Lanka for the conditions. They've gone for absolutely the right balance, with it being spin-dominated. They also have depth of batting, which we saw in the summer."

7:57

Trevor Bayliss was delighted with England's attacking intent with the bat as they completed a whitewash win in Sri Lanka.

Trevor Bayliss was delighted with England's attacking intent with the bat as they completed a whitewash win in Sri Lanka.

England played in Sri Lanka without the now-retired Alastair Cook, while senior seamer Stuart Broad was left out of the first two Tests before returning for the third in place of fellow bowler James Anderson.

"Root is starting to get more of his team and put a stamp on it," said Atherton.

"I know Anderson and Broad are still here but Anderson didn't play in Colombo, and Broad missed the first two games, so there have been more of Root's age group in and around the team.

"If you go back right to the start of the year, England were in Sydney at the end of a really demoralising Ashes series.